Loyal
by DumberAs
Summary: Loyalty, staying by someone's side, not matter what. It's a value that friends expect of each other. And for Jafar, he always figured that he and Iago would be loyal to each other. He thought they were... until Iago left him. But did he really?


**Okay, I'm probably going to get a lot of mixed results here. But something I've noticed. Iago can be a total backstabber to Jafar. One minute he could be loyal to Jafar and the next he's talking crap and turns on the man. So why is Jafar so forgiving to him in the second movie? Well… this is my reason, told in Jafar's point of view.**

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Many of you would think Iago has been corrupted by me. That I saved him in the Bazaar to use him in some form or way. That is far from the truth. For years I had been subjected to ridicule and humiliation by the population of Agrabah, especially when I was boy. I had no friends. Only bullies, and the only people who did care about me was my mother, may she rest in peace, my sweet dear twin sister Nasira, and the baker, Barir Sumara, who I called Baybay and had been like a surrogate father to me. My own father despised me the moment when I was born, abused me the moment my mother was not around and had free ranged once she died. No one would get close to me because they feared my father or found a reason to dislike me. The only person that wasn't like family to me was my first lover.

It may surprise you, or not, but I am bi-sexual. I like men and women. My first lover was of a man name Nijad Issa. He was a tall man, a head taller than me. Short wavy black hair, beautiful green eyes, muscles that can easily rival with Gaston's, along with a thin Italian like mustache and goatee. When I was fifteen, he had rescued me from my father's abusive hand when I was fifteen. The moment I had laid eyes on him, I instantly fell for him. It was just like the love at first sight that Disney was so famous for. A few days after I had moved in with Barir, which was a year after I had meet Nijad and lost contact with him after that faithful night, we reunited and started dating. He was the only person that I loved and trusted, than Nasira and Barir. But we did have our bumps like most couples do.

For years he tried to get me to become friends with some of the town people, his co-workers, my co-workers but no one would warm up to me. Between the time we had timeouts, taking breaks from each others. During those I would either focus on work, or be subjected to arrange marriages, that only left me upset when I found out the girl was using and lying to me and would run off with some other man. But I could always count on Nijad being there for me. Until one day when I come back from a business meeting in China I discovered he had packed up all his items and moved without telling me. There was no note, no letter, nothing, and he did that after I had given myself to him before I left. I was heartbroken. He had used me and now dumped me in the worst way. And girls complained of getting dumped by a text message, no if you think that is bad ladies, then be dumped by having your boyfriend back up all his things and leave without telling you. Three months I had sobbed my eyes out. Nearly two years I had not gotten over the heartache of Nijad dumping me and shattering my heart. But it was less bearable when I had gotten Iago.

Iago… my only friend. I did purchase him at the bazaar. He was so thin, starved, dehydrated, feathers a messed, I had to purchase him. Five weeks I had spent my entire time nursing him back to health. I told him everything, confided in him, not knowing that he was so intelligent for a few months. The moment I had discovered him, I was shocked and…delighted. I had someone who I could actually talk to me like a friend and not look at me like I was a nuisance. We created a close friendship. I could tell him anything. True some of things I told him shocked him, but he got over it. When he confided in me I felt like I had made a true friend. My first and real friend. He was a sarcastic, a little greedy and boy does that bird eat, but I could care less about his flaws. I was so happy. Of course we kept his intelligence a secret. Only one person knew about Iago's intelligence than me was Nijad when he had returned.

Two years of heartache, two years of sorrow, two years of pain and he finally returned. When we met again in the bakery (where I constantly hanged out on my days off from work and helped Baybay out) he had came in, looking for me of course. I was so shocked that when we landed eyes on each other, I scooted my chair back in shock and ended up falling back in the process. After a brief clear up, (with me slapping him and yelling at him for dumping me the way he did) he convinced me to move in with him. I couldn't say no. I was still in love with him, no matter what, I felt we were destined to be. He was always there for me. Rescuing me, comforting me, loved me, everything I needed at the moment he knew what to give. Once I had introduced Iago to him, and clearing up that I wasn't crazy that Iago could talk like an actual human, we moved in together.

But a month or two things started to change. Nijad started to act aggressive towards me, getting more physical, verbally, mentally and emotionally abusing me. I had, along with his words, believed that I was causing him to act out. At first I had stood up to him, but over the time with my doubts and with his threats, I believed it was all on me. I took the abuse thinking I deserved it. Thinking that I was being a horrible partner while he worked stressful hours running his family's business and I had neglected to keep a peaceful environment for him. I loved him so much that I was convinced to do nothing but to please him and hope that my love for him would bring back the man he was before the abuse started. I was blinded by love, by fear of the expose of our relationship.

I hid the abuse, lied the best I could, so that no one would get suspicious. I was going to work with black eyes, bruises, broken bones. There were times when he would lock me in the house for days, telling my fellow workers at the Palace that I was sick. Baybay was catching on to what was going on. He could always knew what was going on with me. Knowing my habits, what I was thinking, and more than enough was I thankful for the place he had given me to stay when I had nowhere to go. But I kept the lying to him, even though I knew, that he knew, I was. But of course Iago was the one who knew the truth. He watched me suffer at the hands of the man I love. Months he had talked about leaving Nijad, but I could never do it. I was too in enamored with the man.

Nijad was always upset with Iago over everything. He would've killed him if I didn't stop him. The little parrot always stated that he would take care of Nijad, but I couldn't let him do that. He was my friend, and what friend would I have been if I let him go and fight against a man that could harm me and easily kill a little bird like him. No. Only I would suffer the fate. I would spare my bird from the pain and the possible death that he could receive. It was only right. I had to protect him, protect the only friend I had in the world. Iago stayed by my side throughout the whole ordeal. He never left my side, comforting me when I was so upset that I burst into tears because I longed to have the man revert back to his old self than the one that was treating me so horrible.

Until one day, Iago had managed to convince me to leave. I no longer protested his logic. My love for Nijad was keeping me sealed in a prison of abuse and the longer I held on the hope of him changing, it would only caused me to wind up dead one day. No. No more, I had to live. So I packed up my things and left when he was out for the night. I had not seen Nijad since that day. I looked back once at the house with sorrow, whispering a good-bye and wishing that he would revert back to the boy that I had fallen so hard for. I moved back into the palace to stay close to the Sultan whenever he needed me.

Iago was always there, sharing the growing hatred for the foolish man and his spoiled daughter. Making me laugh, and helped me through the pain of trying to get over Nijad and watching out for me. Yes he got on my nerves, but all friends had fights. And I was glad that he was. All my trust was in Iago besides Baybay and Nasira. But there were things that Iago knew that I would never tell Nasira and Baybay. He was my true friend and the only one I could rely on.

I knew there were times that he was using me. But I always brushed it off as his greed. I saw the first glimpse of it when I was nursing him back to health. He was back to his full health in three weeks, but he kept the sick act for another two. Then there was the times when he had flown off after one of our arguments claiming he didn't need me, but he always came back when he couldn't handle the situation. But even those, I didn't think he would ever turn his back on me. Even when I was slowly losing my sanity as the events unrolled, he stayed.

After the events, after we got trapped in my new prison of a lamp, I never thought he would betray me the way he had. After everything we had been through, he dumps me in a well after our fight. I was angry, he was angry, so when he left, I figured after a few hours we would make up. But as those hours drone on, it felt like he was done for good, and it hurt. I couldn't lose the only friend I had. I never wanted that feeling of loneliness again. So when Abis Mal found me and wanted revenge on Aladdin as much as I knew, I knew I would get a chance to find Iago and tell him I forgave him for our fight. Our friendship would still stay. And once Abis Mal would wish to free me, we would celebrate! Get our own revenge on Agrabah and take care of that retched street rat and the princess!

So when I saw that he was already there with the street rat and the princess, I couldn't help but smile. He was one step of the plan. Clever little bird, acting all nice and trusty to them, and when we get the chance, we'll take over Agrabah! Oh it was just perfect! I heard him in of the rooms, having Abis Mal following me. I overheard what he said about me, but pushed it away. He was still a little frustrated with me. I understand. I might have been a bit forceful on my plan on him. He was trying to get his way out of it, but I knew the only one who would stay by my side was him. I just needed Abis Mal to free me and that was it.

When the plan worked, I congratulated Iago on his work. He looked a little sullen about it, but I made a note to console him later. Right now the focus was on the plan. Kill Aladdin and gain control of Agrabah once more. I lost sight of what was important once again. I was focused on my revenge. I was so wrapped up in the power and the revenge that I had lost focus on what was truly important. So when Iago betrayed me, I was deeply hurt. He was supposed to be my friend. He was supposed to stay by my side. And does he do? He takes my lamp and destroys it! I was angry, furious, betrayed, but most of all, I was hurt. My first friend, my only friend turned on me and "killed" me. Okay, I'll clear that up, we Toons don't die, we just revive after the movie is done being made. So when I went back to my house on the shadow-side of Toontown, the "villain" side if you want to call it that, I was completely broken. My only friend had left me and used me for his own purposes. For the next few years I kept myself close up. I never let anyone close to me again. I kept myself away from the other villains, only going out to get groceries or when one of them dragged me out to one of the meetings.

I had hit a low to where I didn't want anyone to be close to me. That way I could be certain I would never felt my trust be taken away, never would I be foolish to be crushed when someone hurt me. I would keep myself from harm. But I forgave him. Even though I was hurt to the point I was shutting down from the outside world, just like when Nijad moved. I kept myself locked away, only reading my books, watching TV, cleaning, and when I wasn't I was just lying in my bed, staring at the wall, at where Iago's perch sat.

I dreamed of the day Iago would come back. Tell me he was sorry. Then everything would go back to normal. We would talk about what happened and make up. It was all I was hoping for. But as the days turned to weeks, then months, and then finally over a year, I was losing hope. I had lost my best friend. And I had no reason to trust anyone and have any friends anymore. So after four years of the ordeal, after Hercules came out is, when Iago came back. I contained my joy with a narrow glare. He smiled nervously at me. I crossed my arms.

"What are you doing here?"

"I uh… hehehe… can't a friend come over and say hi?"

"I thought we weren't friends anymore. Since you left me and killed me, I didn't see any reason for us to be friends anymore."

"Um… okay, sorry about that. But… I had a good reason."

"What reason gives you the right to kill me!?"

He opened his beak to say something but shut it. He rubbed a wing on the back of his neck and sighed. I stared at him, the years of hurt and betrayal bubbling inside of me. Now, now of all times, he comes back.

"What is your reason?" I hissed.

He sighed.

"You went nuts! Absolutely bonkers! You gone completely insane and mad with power! I had to stop you!"

"By killing me!?" I snapped. I tried to contain my emotions but I couldn't and broke down, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I took you in! I nursed you back to health! I trusted you! I poured my soul out to you! And you went and backstabbed me! Friends don't do that! All that time! All these years you never came! You never visited, we never talked! I wanted to talk! But I couldn't because you were with my worst enemy! Our worst enemy! I was loyal to you! Honest with you! Trusted you! And you never shown any of those qualities to me! Are you my friend Iago? Are you!?"

He looked at me, not answering. It seemed like an eternity before he finally answered me.

"I am. I…I'm not a good friend, but, I am your friend. I just… I guess I didn't realize how much my friendship meant to you. I heard you were isolating yourself from everyone and… I couldn't let you fall back into your depression and insanity. I came back because…because… I'm….sorry…."

My expression softened at him. That's all I wanted to hear from him. That's all I needed.

"That's all I needed to hear. And I'm sorry for loosing myself. I was blinded by the power and become obsessed with getting revenge that I didn't think of your feelings. Will you forgive me for what I have done to you?"

He smiled at me, a sight I missed seeing.

"Of course I do, you nutcase."

I smiled and picked him up. I would've hugged him but I didn't want to hurt him. So I stuck to petting his head.

"Friends?" I asked.

"Best friends." He confirmed.

I grinned at him. I still had my best friend. I still had him. He may not completely agree with me on my acts of villainy on certain schemes, but I respected his decisions when he wanted to stay out of my plans. As long as I had his friendship, even if he is friends with Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, I still knew he was loyal to me in a since. And I would always be loyal to him, no matter what conflicts come our way.


End file.
